The modern startup gets a lot of attention these days. Investors hoping to ensnare the illusive “unicorn” status that might lead to astronomical growth, put their eye on the latest patented tech with hopes of a highly profitable exit, awash in vast sums of cash. And while these adventurous thinkers have stumbled upon product that might have a brief impact, Bruce Meyer changed everything about recreational vehicles, long before there were million-dollar stock options, 1000% growth, or huge dividends. And he did it all with a surfboard and beach-life approach. Just for the fun of it.
In the early 1960s, the California sports car scene was cresting a very big wave. Kit cars had already established market share for industrious garage hobbyists who wanted to build their own car. Off road vehicles were beginning to appear and recreational motocross, fueled in part by the growing Japanese motorcycle industry, was gaining in popularity. The confluence of all these motorized recreational events inspired California resident Bruce Meyers to design and build the Meyers Manx. The Manx would eventually usher in an entirely new genre of personal fun vehicles, leading the way to a cultural phenomenon popularizing desert racing and recreational dune buggy use.
Meyers was no stranger to adventurous outdoor recreation. A surfer, sailor, and boatbuilder, he was, like many young people of that era, very interested in hot rods. Familiar with the rear engine sand-railer and beach buggy, Meyers found them both cumbersome and unattractive. He began working on a purposeful tub-like body using lightweight, low-cost fiberglass for the body shells (as he’d used in his boatbuilding experience), while employing simple and cost-effective modifications to the Beetle platform (hot rod thinking). Meyers was able to go from building a few prototypes in his first year of production, to producing more than 5,000 examples of the VW chassis 2nd series Meyers Manx. The dune buggy craze quickly invaded American coastal cities but soon grabbed the imagination of kids all over the world, making it easy for other builders to emulate the clever single tub fiberglass body that made the Manx attractive, lightweight, sporty, and easily personalized. The Manx was clever, easy to build, and priced to attract a large market without breaking the bank, and others wanted to catch the same wave Meyers was already riding.
The surge in interest was so strong, Meyers had to move quickly to develop faster ways to meet the rapidly growing market. Copycat builders quickly capitalized on the growth of the Manx market, so Meyers shifted to using faster spray-and-cure chopper gun fiberglass which he’d learned about while building fiberglass sailboats. Meyer’s body shells contained rigid underside structural core ribbing for added strength, ribbed under fender structure, and clever mounting methods for easy on and off body installation – all quick-to-market innovations in car body development for fiberglass bodies. And while the Manx capably participated and won many desert races, the primary market was for individuals looking to have fun in an inexpensive sporty car that could handle all sorts of terrain and still serve getting groceries or local commuting to work – it was, for sunny climates, a four-wheeled motorcycle.
Although sales were quite good for the time and the small operation managed to sell over 6,000 units (making them one of the most successful post war independent car manufacturers) the design for the Manx set a new standard for recreational vehicles. Clever and inexpensive, the lack of costly doors, side or rear glass, and a flat windshield might have resulted in a dowdy, Jeepish, or compromised appearance, especially at the low price. Yet the opposite was true with the Manx. There is a charming, lifelike toy quality to the Manx that immediately endears you to it. Manufactured before Hot Wheels cars, the glitter infused paint, candy colors, bucked up rear, and perched headlights made the Manx a high impact statement capable of frolicking fun – a full sized Hot Wheel car before the brand even existed.
Looking at the design today, the charm still holds up. In side view, the Manx establishes a diving horizontal line that starts at the rear of the body and cuts downward to the front bumper line. This line is enhanced by tall wheels with ample fender clearance and a flat black underside which pulls the eye upward into the cockpit. The sparse cockpit lacks any amenities in part because the purpose is clear – get in, start it, and drive. The simple utility of the Manx is evident in the basic dashboard, contoured vinyl seats, and basic trim. Impossible to construct today with the safety restrictions and smog constraints of modern laws, this design serves as an excellent example of how far we’ve come manufacturing automobiles, but also how far we’ve strayed from the pure fun and adventurous nature the Manx embodies.
The front view conveys a happy presence with big, wide eye headlights perched above the front fender line, greeting onlookers with chrome plated charm and eagerness, waiting to be driven. If the front is a charming engagement, then the rear is all business because Meyers cleverly reveals the exposed VW engine in the same style as the early dune buggies he’d seen racing in the California deserts. The engine sits tight to the rear of the car in keeping with its namesake, the bobbed tail Manx. Here too there is a mechanical fortitude to the exposed engine, but once again, it’s a friendly encouragement to the driving experience – everything exposed means it can’t be that hard to maintain.
These days, original Meyers Manx buggies are highly sought after. The company is even back in business selling electric powered units. But the charm and fun-loving nature of the original still stands as one of the most inventive and important independent vehicles ever built. Framed around fun, sunshine, adventure, and low cost, the Manx delivered on the promises of easy use, jump-in and go driving, and zero-pretense enjoyment. In an age of giant SUVs, leather and Alcantara seating, and four digit horsepower, it’s refreshing to know that we can still jump in a dune buggy with wet shorts, get sand on the floor, and cruise to the drive in without worrying about spilling ketchup on the seats.
